Keep It Coming (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Catherine is eager to show Steve what Angie can do, and Steve muses on how his life has changed.


**Notes:** Mari, love and hugs always, but especially today.

Sammy, huge thank you for all your help on this one! Could not have done it without you. You are the best!

Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your continued support as we come ever closer to our 4th anniversary in the REAL World! Thank you for sticking with us on this journey!

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Keep It Coming (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

Steve opened the front door and was immediately greeted by a sight that made him smile.

Cammie was closest, wagging her tail excitedly at his appearance. Angie, spotting her daddy in the doorway let out a happy screech and swiveled from her bottom to her hands and knees so she could crawl toward him. And Catherine smiled at him from her spot on the floor by Angie's recently vacated playmate.

"Told you Daddy would make it before bedtime," she said as she stood.

After closing the door, Steve bent to give Cammie an affectionate rub. "Hey, Cammie, you been keeping an eye on things here?" He smiled at her soft woof in response and then looked to Angie who was barrelling his direction. "There's my big girl," he said, swinging her up into the air and over his head.

"Ahheeeee!"

Her smile was wide and her laugh was infectious as she reached for his face from above, kicking wildly. Catherine joined them as he brought Angie down and kissed her. "What did you get up to today?" he asked the still smiling baby.

"Da da DA!" she said happily, patting his cheeks.

"Wait'll you see," Catherine said excitedly. "Esther took her to storytime and she told me what Angie did and it's amazing. Here." She took Angie in her arms and settled the baby against her chest so she was facing Steve. "You know the song Miss Kristin does that goes, _This is the way we clap our hands_ ," she sang to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush."

He nodded, having gone to enough storytimes to recognize the song.

"Okay, do the roll along verse and watch her," Catherine said. "You've gotta do it, though, so she can see." She started to sing, nodding at him to do the motions. " _This is the way we roll along, roll along, roll along._ " Steve made two fists and circled them around and around as she continued to sing. _"This is the way we roll along, early in the morning_ – Look!" she exclaimed. Angie had brought her own fists up, wrists pressed together, and was steadily rolling them against each other, clearly attempting to copy his movements as she stared back at him. "Do you see that?"

Steve's face lit up. "Look at you, Angie! Keep going," he encouraged, now speak-singing the words himself. "This is the way we roll along, roll along, roll along." He beamed as Angie continued rolling her loosely clenched fists along with him. "That's it!"

Angie smiled at the praise, kicking her legs happily. "Ah ee!"

Catherine kissed the top of her head. "Yay, big girl!" She grinned at Steve. "Plus you got Daddy to sing. Kind of," she teased.

"Hey," he protested, but quickly smiled back.

"Ready for the next one?" Catherine asked.

"The next one?"

"She's not done yet. _Open, shut them, open, shut them,_ " Catherine sang. "You've gotta do the motions," she said, nodding at him expectantly. " _Open, shut them, open, shut them, give a little clap clap clap. Open, shut them, open, shut them_ – Look!" she exclaimed again.

Steve had performed the motions to the song as she sang, holding both his fists up and opening and shutting them to match the words, then clapping. On the second round he watched in amazement as Angie held out a hand, palm up instead of out, and slowly opened and closed her fist.

"Angie!" he said, laughing happily. He lifted her from Catherine's arms to kiss her proudly on the cheek.

Catherine beamed. "Esther said Kristin was really impressed. Especially how she was rolling her fists. She doesn't usually see babies so young doing that."

"That's our brilliant girl," Steve said, beaming again at Angie.

Catherine smiled at them, then laughed suddenly, looking at where they were standing.

"What?" he asked.

"I just realized we barely let you get in the door. I was so excited to show you what Angie could do."

He glanced around, noting she was right, and laughed as well. "Worth it," he said, and leaned over to kiss her. "And you," he looked back at Angie, "keep the milestones coming." He kissed her cheek again. "I can't wait to see what you do next."

* * *

Later that evening after putting Angie to bed, Steve and Catherine settled on the sofa. She tucked her legs up against her, half-facing him. "Any hits running the prints on the body of the suicide victim yet?" she asked. Before he could answer, she sighed, shaking her head. "I know you would've called if you got a positive ID."

He nodded to acknowledge that was true. "The prints don't match any in the California system so we're expanding the search nationwide. Hopefully we get a hit. If not, we'll have a facial reconstructionist do a sketch and try to get a match from that." At her nod, he continued. "Chin and Kono have been checking missing persons records from around that time to see if they can spot something the original detectives missed."

She put a hand on his arm, squeezing gratefully. "Thank you. I know how hard you're working on this."

"Of course," he said immediately. "I want to figure this out so Carrie and John don't have it hanging over their heads."

She nodded, covering his hand with hers.

"Did you talk to her today?" he asked, lacing their fingers. "How's she doing?"

Catherine sighed. "You know Carrie. She's not gonna let it interfere with her life, but … I know it's bothering her. The waiting."

"I know."

"She's never been one to tiptoe around … anything, but she doesn't want to tip Davidson off if he's involved."

He nodded and squeezed her hand. "We're gonna figure this out. Soon. I promise."

She leaned over and kissed him lightly. "I know you will. And you let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Any calls I can make or files I can go through."

He nodded again. "I will. For now, it's a waiting game."

She nodded back, understanding, if not liking this part of a case.

With a sigh she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He laid his cheek against her hair, keeping their fingers laced together in his lap.

Across the room, he noticed a bag on the table. "What's in the bag?" he asked, nodding toward it.

She raised her head to follow his eyeline and smiled. "Esther. I guess it's National Library Week so the FriendShop at the library was having a sale. She picked up some books for Angie."

"That was nice," he said, genuinely appreciative.

"It was." She chuckled. "Angie's not even one yet and she's already running out of room on her bookshelf." She smiled at him. "Good problem to have, I suppose."

"Yeah," he said thoughtfully. After a moment, he continued, "You know, I was thinking about that actually."

She looked at him curiously. "About Angie needing more room on her bookshelf?"

"Needing more room in general," he said. Straightening, he released her hand and turned to face her more fully. "What do you think about turning the den into a playroom?"

Her eyebrows shot up, mouth opening slightly.

"We could take out the desk," he continued, "put in some nice storage for her toys. Lay down carpeting … and I was thinking, line the whole north wall with bookshelves."

"Steve …" she began, her voice trailing off in amazement.

"We barely use the den," he said with a shrug. "We spend most of our time in here or outside. My dad was probably the only person who really spent a lot of time in there." He smiled softly. "And I think he would like the idea of his den becoming Angie's playroom."

She reached for his hand again. "I think he would be thrilled."

He smiled at her, watching as her eyes drifted in the direction of the den and knowing she was imagining the possibilities. "So …?"

She looked back at him and smiled broadly. "I love the idea. And so will Angie. How soon can we start?"

He laughed, tugging her closer and kissing her. "I'm sure you'll have a to-do list draft by lunch tomorrow."

Grinning, she laid her head back on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her and settled against the sofa again, both content in their companionable silence.

After a moment, she felt him sigh and tilted her head up to look at him questioningly.

He smiled softly. "Turning the den into a playroom, shelving books from the library's FriendShop …" He chuckled. "Standing two feet from the front door and singing baby songs to watch our daughter show off what she can do …"

Her answering smile turned teasing, "Well, that barely qualified as singing on your part."

He snorted. "I did it, though," he pointed out.

"You did," she acknowledged.

He paused, his expression softening again. "Not something I would have ever imagined doing years ago."

She tightened the arm she had draped across his torso. "I know," she said quietly.

"But it's more than that," he continued. "Coming home and seeing Cammie there waiting all excited, and Angie heading right for me, her smile like nothing I've ever seen except …" He shifted and she sat up to look at him. "You," he said simply. He stared at her. "Here or when we meet up at your office or at HQ or … wherever. All these years, you've always been been happy to see me, and that … I didn't always have that. Or didn't think I did." He swallowed the small lump in his throat. "Didn't think I ever would."

She nodded. "I know," she said again. Leaning in, she kissed him slowly.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. "I really am the luckiest guy on the planet, aren't I?"

She shook her head. "I've told you before, I don't think luck has that much to do with it."

"Well, whatever it is …" he said, his eyes locked on her face, "keep it coming."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

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